Kingfisher plc, a leading global home improvement retailer, has announced a multi-year collaboration with Google Cloud aimed at transforming the online shopping experience through agentic AI.
Leveraging Google Cloud’s technology, Kingfisher plans to go beyond conventional keyword searches across its brands—including B&Q, Castorama in France and Poland, and Brico Dépôt France—by introducing AI-driven shopping assistants that anticipate customer needs.
The partnership focuses on two main initiatives:
Enhanced search with Vertex AI: Kingfisher is adopting Vertex AI Search for Commerce, shifting from basic keyword-based searches to more natural, conversational discovery. This approach aligns with modern shopping habits, enabling faster and more accurate results. Initial testing at B&Q has already delivered promising outcomes. Leveraging Google Cloud’s technology, Kingfisher plans to go beyond conventional keyword searches across its brands—including B&Q, Castorama in France and Poland, and Brico Dépôt France—by introducing AI-driven shopping assistants that anticipate customer needs.
The partnership focuses on two main initiatives:
Thierry Garnier, CEO of Kingfisher plc, commented: “Partnering with Google Cloud allows us to offer AI-enhanced shopping experiences, making it easier for customers to find and purchase home improvement products. These investments position Kingfisher at the forefront of AI-driven retail, driving meaningful innovation within our growing digital ecosystem and addressing the evolving expectations of our customers.”
Matt Renner, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Google Cloud, added: “Kingfisher is redefining how retailers can harness cloud technology to tackle complex customer challenges. By integrating Vertex AI and preparing its data for an agentic future, Kingfisher is creating genuinely helpful, conversational shopping experiences. We are proud to support their digital transformation across the UK and Europe.”
This agreement builds on Kingfisher’s existing use of Google Cloud to enhance digital operations and drive omnichannel growth, which has already contributed to e-commerce making up more than 20% of Group sales. It also complements the success of Kingfisher’s proprietary AI platform, Athena, launched in 2023, which powers virtual assistants such as Hello Casto and Hello B&Q.
Additionally, Kingfisher collaborates closely with Google’s Ads and Shopping teams to boost online performance. Central to these efforts is the modernization of Nucleus, Kingfisher’s data lake, which provides a secure and scalable foundation for current and future AI initiatives.